Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Nemom, Sobha in Palakkad; BJP lists 47 for Kerala Assembly Elections 2026
Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP has released its first list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, announcing 47 names on Tuesday. The list features several prominent figures who recently defected to the BJP from the CPI and Congress. An official press release stated that the selection was finalised following a high-level meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar will contest from Nemom, while former state chief K Surendran is set to seek a mandate from Manjeshwar in Kasaragod district. Other key candidates include Navya Haridas from Kozhikode North, Sobha Surendran from Palakkad, and Padmaja Venugopal from Thrissur. Major Ravi will contest from Ottapalam, with Shaun George and P C George standing from Pala and Poonjar respectively.
The list also includes former DGP R Sreelekha from Vattiyoorkavu and V Muraleedharan from Kazhakkoottam. P K Krishnadas will contest from Kattakkada, while Adv P Sudheer has been fielded in Attingal.
Further candidates include Manulal Meloth (Uduma), Balaraj M (Kanhangad), A P Gangadharan (Payyannur), K K Vinod Kumar (Azhikode) and C Raghunath (Kannur). In Wayanad, P Syam Raj (Mananthavady ST) and Kavitha A S (Sulthan Bathery ST) will represent the party.
In Kozhikode district, the candidates are Adv K Dileep (Vadakara), Ramadas Manaleri (Kuttyadi), C P Vipin Chandran (Nadapuram), C R Praphul Krishnan (Quilandy), M Mohanan Master (Perambra), C P Satheesan (Balussery SC), T Devadas (Elathur), T Raneesh (Kozhikode South), Adv KP Prakash Babu (Beypore) and V K Sajeevan (Kunnamangalam).
Other notable names include Shanku T Das (Shornur), C Krishnakumar (Malampuzha), K Balakrishnan (Chelakkara SC), Adv K K Aneesh Kumar (Manalur), Santhosh Cherakulam (Irinjalakuda), S Rajendran (Devikulam SC), K Ajith (Vaikom SC), and Adv George Kurian (Kanjirappally).
The initial phase also features Arun Anirudhan (Ambalappuzha), Sandeep Vachaspati (Haripad), M V Gopakumar (Chengannur), Anoop Antony Joseph (Thiruvalla), V S Jithin Dev (Karunagappally), Raji Prasad (Kunnathur SC), R Rashmi (Kottarakkara), B B Gopakumar (Chathannoor), Yuvaraj Gokul (Nedumangad), and Adv Gireesh Neyyar (Parassala).
BJP list of candidates for 47 seats
| Candidate | Constituency |
| Rajeev Chandrasekhar | Nemom |
| K Surendran | Manjeshwar |
| Sobha Surendran | Palakkad |
| R Sreelekha | Vattiyoorkavu |
| V Muraleedharan | Kazhakkoottam |
| Padmaja Venugopal | Thrissur |
| Major Ravi | Ottappalam |
| PC George | Poonjar |
| Shaun George | Pala |
| S Rajendran | Devikulam (SC) |
| R Rashmi | Kottarakkara |
| PK Krishnadas | Kattakkada |
| Navya Haridas | Kozhikode North |
| Adv P Sudheer | Attingal (SC) |
| Shanku T Das | Shornur |
| C Krishnakumar | Malampuzha |
| Adv George Kurian | Kanjirappally |
| Sandeep Vachaspati | Haripad |
| K Ajith | Vaikom (SC) |
| Anoop Antony Joseph | Thiruvalla |
| Adv K Dileep | Vadakara |
| Ramadas Manaleri | Kuttiadi |
| CP Vipin Chandran | Nadapuram |
| CR Praphul Krishnan | Quilandy |
| M Mohanan Master | Perambra |
| CP Satheesan | Balussery (SC) |
| T Devadas | Elathur |
| T Raneesh | Kozhikode South |
| Adv KP Prakash Babu | Beypore |
| VK Sajeevan | Kunnamangalam |
| Manulal Meloth | Uduma |
| Balraj M | Kanhangad |
| AP Gangadharan | Payyannur |
| KK Vinod Kumar | Azhikode |
| C Raghunath | Kannur |
| P Shyam Raj | Mananthavady (ST) |
| Kavitha AS | Sulthanbathery (ST) |
| K Balakrishnan | Chelakkara (SC) |
| Adv KK Aneesh Kumar | Manalur |
| Santhosh Cherakulam | Irinjalakuda |
| Arun Anirudhan | Ambalappuzha |
| MV Gopakumar | Chengannur |
| VS Jithin Dev | Karunagappally |
| Raji Prasad | Kunnathur (SC) |
| BB Gopakumar | Chathannoor |
| Yuvaraj Gokul | Nedumangad |
| Adv Gireesh Neyyar | Parassala |